DPC Startup Kit¶

Two Paths. Same Destination.¶

Most startup guides assume you have $50,000 and six months to prepare. We don't.

Choose your path:

About This Resource¶

This startup kit was developed by experienced DPC physicians — including some of the first in the nation to practice Direct Primary Care — drawing from years of real-world experience building and mentoring DPC practices.

What makes this different:

• Bootstrap-first philosophy — We lead with "what's the minimum?" not "what's ideal?"
• All 50 states covered — State-specific laws, regulations, and resources
• Open source — Free to use, share, and improve (CC BY-NC 4.0)
• Real-world tested — From physicians who've done it, not consultants who haven't

This resource serves as the knowledge base for the DPC Mentor Platform, connecting aspiring DPC physicians with experienced mentors.

Who This Is For¶

Audience	Description
Physicians considering DPC	Learn what Direct Primary Care is all about
Physicians actively starting	Step-by-step guidance for launching your practice
Physicians transitioning	Moving from employed or traditional practice to DPC
DPC mentors	Resources for guiding the next generation

Quick Start¶

Bootstrap Quick Start (First Patient in 7 Days)¶

Tick off each day as you go — your progress is saved in your browser.

• Day 1–2: File LLC, get EIN — see Minimum Viable Practice
• Day 3: Malpractice insurance — see Professional Liability Guide
• Day 4: Phone, messaging, video setup — see Low-Tech Toolkit
• Day 5: One-page website, Google Business Profile — see Low-Tech Toolkit
• Day 6: Basic equipment, home office — see Minimum Viable Practice
• Day 7: Tell everyone, sign first patient — you're open

Total cost: $1,500-3,000. Break-even: 3-10 patients.

Comprehensive Quick Start (Launch in 3-6 Months)¶

Phase 1: Foundation 1. Choosing a Legal Entity 2. Business Registration Checklist 3. State DPC Laws + Your State Guide

Phase 2: Operations 1. Office Space Guide 2. Equipment & Supplies Checklist 3. EMR Selection Guide

Phase 3: Launch 1. Pricing Your Practice 2. Building Your Brand 3. Patient Onboarding Workflow

Content Sections¶

Key Principles¶

Patients Before Infrastructure¶

A practice with one patient is infinitely more real than a business plan with none.

Many successful DPC practices started with nothing more than:

• A stethoscope and a phone
• Paper charts or Google Docs
• A kitchen table for admin
• Patients who needed them

Everything else came later, funded by revenue.

Right-Size Your Tools¶

Match your systems to your current stage — not your eventual stage:

Revenue Before Expenses¶

Don't spend money on things you'll need "someday."

• Buy equipment when patient demand justifies it
• Add software when manual processes break down
• Hire staff when you're the bottleneck
• Get office space when alternatives limit you

The bootstrap path isn't forever. It's until revenue funds the next step.

Important Disclaimers¶

Contributing¶

This resource is maintained for mentorship purposes. Contributions and corrections are welcome.

• Found an error? Open an issue or submit a pull request
• Have a suggestion? Let us know through the repository issues
• Want to contribute content? See CONTRIBUTING.md

License¶

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International).

You are free to:

• Share and adapt with attribution
• Use for educational and personal purposes
• Not for commercial use without permission